Healthy Food for Women

A varied, balanced diet is the cornerstone of healthy living for everyone, yet healthy eating can sometimes mean different things depending on your gender. A healthy diet gives you energy, supports your mood, maintains your weight, and keeps you looking your best. 

The first step in any healthy diet is eating a balanced variety of foods, so everyone should start there. But for women, science is showing that there are some foods that can help ward off osteoporosis, heart disease, breast cancer, and even tone down a hot flash or two. Find seven “wonder women” foods and recipes to get them cooking in your kitchen.

Your diet has a major effect on your food cravings, your stress levels, and your energy throughout the day. By making smart food choices and developing healthy eating habits, you’ll find it much easier to stay slim, control cravings, and feel energetic all day long.

Berries

Cranberries, strawberries, raspberries, blueberries and blackberries have powerful anti-cancer agents that play a key part in repairing cell and may shield off many forms of illness, including breast cancer and colon cancer, the two cancers that affect fairer sex the most. Cranberries and cranberry juice can also ward off urinary tract infections.

Milk

Calcium deficiency is one of the major health concerns that affects women worldwide. Milk is an absolute must for women at any age. A great source of calcium, milk, when combined with vitamin D, is one of the best ways to keep osteoporosis at bay. Milk is also helpful in preventing symptoms of the dreaded PMS.

Oats

Oats are literally packed with health-boosting nutrients, many of which have great impacts on female health. Oats are not only great for heart health, digestion and blood pressure levels (with hypertension affecting many women over 50), but they contain vitamin B6, which can help prevent PMS and mood swings, and folic acid, which is important for women to consume before and during pregnancy to prevent birth defects in babies. 

Tomatoes

A carotenoid that is essential for good health is lycopene, which is a pigment found in tomatoes. And several studies have said that lycopene can help prevent breast cancer. Apart from this, there is also evidence that suggests that it reduces the risk of heart disease.

Green leafy vegetables

Green leafy vegetables are called ‘Super Foods’ due to its numerous health benefits. Green leafy vegetables include cabbages, cauliflowers, lettuce, spinach, kale, broccoli, etc. These vegetables contain a lot of fiber, polyphenols, Group B Vitamins, Vitamin A and Vitamin C.

Flax seeds

Have flax seeds daily for overall good health. They are a good source of Omega-3 fatty acids and are known to reduce the risk of heart disease and breast cancer. They also have anti-inflammatory properties that prevent arthritis, apart from digestive properties which help ease irritable bowel syndrome.

Walnuts

Walnuts While all nuts are great for our health, walnuts have many great individual benefits for women. A study has recently found that walnuts, which are packed with omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants and phytosterols, may help to reduce women's risk of developing breast cancer, while their high omega-3 content may also help bone health, arthritis pain and depression. Walnuts also contain many nutrients essential for female health, such as calcium, magnesium and folic acid.